CRP signup open through April 6
Signup is being held through April 6 at the Fayette County Farm Service Agency for the Conservation Reserve Program.
Land that is not currently enrolled in CRP may be offered. CRP participants with contracts expiring on Sept. 30 also may submit offers.
Eligible cropland must have been planted to an agricultural commodity during four of the six years from 2002 through 2007.
Eligible persons must own the land for 12 months before the end of the signup period, with the exception of inherited land.

The Illinois Field Office of National Agricultural Statistics Service recently released the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2011 county estimates for corn and soybeans.
Farmers in Woodford County led the way in corn yields, with an average of 186.5 bushels per acre, the highest in the state. That was more than 29 bushels above the state average of 157.
Fayette County registered an average corn yield of 137.9 bushels per acre.

By Karen Redfern
What a beautiful day for EO on Monday. The weather was 75 degrees as we entered Wesley Hall. Pianist Donna Smith greeted us with some wonderful piano tunes.
Birthdays recognized were Andri Hulskotter and Christina Penny, Robert Wagner, Mary Woolsey, Carl Rhodes, Randy Schukar and Pat Rhodes.
After folks from Vandalia Rehab, FAYCO, Long Term Care and others were assembled, the program was presented by the Rev. Jim Fackler. He reflected on the Lenten season, focusing on what Jesus did.

Nimrod Outdoor Ministries is hosting a free wild game dinner on March 27 at 6 p.m. at Bethel Baptist Church.
The event will be a fundraiser for the youth archery ministry. Included will be door prizes, raffles and an auction. The grand prize is a new Diamond bow and tree stand package.
Dinner will be a free-will offering. All proceeds will be used for new equipment for the youth ministry program.
For information, call Tony Flowers at 337-967-4482.

Have you ever had the feeling of being completely overwhelmed? Maybe overwhelmed by work or school. Maybe you feel more like a taxicab than a mom. Maybe you’re losing sleep at night as you constantly cram for tests or are writing papers for school. Have you ever felt like your life is chaotic and out of balance?
The reality is we all have – and it is something that each one of us can wrestle with on an ongoing basis.
Look at what Job said: “I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.” (Job 3:26)

As we continue on our tour of Downtown Vandalia’s stores and business opportunities, we visit Liberty Trading Store, which deals in coins and guns, and talk to Sam Flowers, who is multi-talented and “can do about anything he sets his mind to do.” That quote was not from Sam, who is more modest and quiet-spoken, but from others who know and work with him.
Liberty Trading & Sam
The son of Tony and Teresa Flowers, Sam grew up in Vandalia and graduated from Vandalia Community High School.

When they go to the polls next Tuesday, Fayette County voters won’t have many decisions to make. And of those, none will be at the local level.
There are no Fayette County races in the primary election, during which county residents will choose party nominees for the November general election.
County officer positions up for election this year include state’s attorney, circuit clerk, coroner and regional superintendent of schools.
Also this year, all 14 seats – two in each of the county’s seven districts – are up for election.